Bella took Dax’s hand and let him sit beside her, staring into his blue eyes.
"Why do you think Uncle Sean is your father?" Bella asked.
Dax frowned. His eyes were slightly trembling as he stared back at his mother.
"Because Uncle Sean knows about great-grandpa. Uncle is also nice to me, and I feel comfortable around him…" he said calmly, but Bella could see his sadness flash through his gaze.
For some unknown reason, Bella felt hurt inside when she witnessed this.
This had been her concern since giving birth to Dax — explained to him about his biological father. Until today, she never had a chance to do that because she was too worried about how to tell him and he also never asked. .
But just now, Bella was utterly shocked to hear Dax suddenly ask about it. Of course, Dax’s sudden question was enough to make all the words she wanted to tell him vanish from her mind.
Sigh!
Looking at his eyes still fixed on her, as if waiting for her to answer, gave Bella a little courage to talk about this matter.
"I’m sorry, Dax, but Uncle Sean is not your father," she said apologetically.
Dax’s face slowly turned gloomy as he heard the words he didn’t want to hear — Sean was not his father. He feels disappointed even though he already knows the answer.
Bella clenched her hands into fists when she saw the disappointment radiating from Dax’s eyes.
Slowly, she could feel her heartfelt hurt as if the wound in her heart was starting to tear again. She tried hard to hide it; she didn’t want to make Dax worry.
She immediately stood up. "Baby, let’s go. We made Uncle Sean wait for too long."
Dax’s face turned panicked when he remembered about Sean. He nodded and followed Bella.
"Let’s go, Mommy..." His smile framed his face as he walked toward the door, holding Bella’s hand.
Bella saw Sean standing near the window with his back facing them. Before she could call him, Sean turned back.
"Are you guys ready?" He said as he walked to them.
"Sorry to make you wait. Hmm, yes... we can go now."
"It’s okay," Sean chuckled at Bella before gazing at Dax. "Little man, you look handsome. Come, let Uncle carry you…"
Bella sighed slightly when she saw her son didn’t refuse Sean to carry him. Instead, he looked so happy in Sean’s arms.
"Sean, he can walk by himself. There’s no need to carry him," Bella said, narrowing her eyes at Dax.
She feels amazed at Dax. This little man would only allow a few people to carry him, one of them being Sean. Even Jack and Harper never got to hold him.
"It’s fine…" Sean said while walking to the entrance.
Bella could only shake her head as she looked at them out of the room. She talked to Noora first before she followed Sean and Dax, who were waiting for her in the elevator.
...
Upon reaching the lobby, Sean requested Bella to wait for him while he talked to the hotel manager.
Bella had no choice but to wait for them near the entrance. She took her time contacting his grandpa’s butler.
She texts Nick.
[Bella: ] Nick, I’m in East City. Can I visit Grandpa now?
[Bella: ] I will arrive at the hospital in about thirty minutes.
It didn’t take long. She received a reply from Nick.
[Nick: ] Thank God you finally arrived, young miss. Yes, you can come now.
[Nick: ] Old master is excited to meet you.
[Bella: ] Please don’t tell anyone except Grandpa I’m coming to visit.
[Nick: ] No woorries, young Miss.
After sending her text, Bella can’t help but smile bitterly, remembering the time when her grandpa found out about her divorce from Tristan.
If not for Sean hiding her location, her grandpa would have flown to Sweden and dragged her back to this country.
Three years Bella has never contacted her grandpa or another family member. Still, Sean always updates her about them, especially her grandpa. She only started contacting her grandpa two years ago, and their relationship has begun to improve since then.
However, last month, Nick called and informed her that her grandpa had been admitted to the hospital because of a stroke.
Bella had no choice but to return to this city again to meet him.
’Grandpa, I hope you stay healthy...’ she prayed in her heart, her eyes fixed on the busy street before her.
Slowly, memories of her youth started to fill her mind.
This city reminds her of her youth; so many sweet memories happen here, but also sad ones.
’East City, please be nice to me...’ Bella faintly smiles while fixing her gaze on the clear blue sky.
"Bells, this way…" Sean’s voice snapped Bella from her thoughts.
When she saw Sean still carrying Dax in his arms, she couldn’t help but walk fast towards them.
"You can ask him to walk. Stop pampering him, Sean," Bella said helplessly, looking at how Dax enjoyed Sean carrying him.
"Uncle, Mom was right. Put me down, I can walk..." Dax was worried Uncle Sean would be exhausted.
"It’s okay, Little man. I know you are still exhausted from taking a long flight," Sean said while opening the car door and helping Dax sit in the back row.
Bella, "..."
Then Sean opens the car for Bella. She didn’t utter anything but entered the vehicle immediately.
Soon, the white Audi Q7 slowly left the Star Hotel.
****
Meantime, in the black Mercedes SUV, not far from Sean’s car.
Dylan, who sat behind the wheel, gasped in shock. At this moment, not even his calm features could hide the shock on his face.
He turned to the passenger seat beside him, "Max, why can’t you conduct your investigation properly? Why did you never mention that Ms. Bella is already married?"
Max was also shocked, just like Dylan; he didn’t expect Ms. Bella to have a husband.
"Ugh, man, as I told you, Ms. Bella’s identity was top secret; I cannot find anything regarding her personal information."
"Tsk! You are only making excuses... How could Ms. Bella, a commoner, have a top-secret status in this country?"
Max didn’t have time to speak to this stupid Dylan. He just turned his gaze toward the rearview mirror, looking at the back row. He was shocked to see how dark Tristan’s expression was now.
"Try to find that man’s identity—" Before Dylan could finish his words, he felt the temperature inside the car drop as if the heating system had suddenly broken.